5 Brands To Check Out For National Clean Beauty Day
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July 15 is officially National Clean Beauty Day, and what better time to reflect on how far the clean beauty industry has come. There was once a time when the decision to transition to an entirely clean beauty routine would result in cutting out almost every beauty product you previously owned and accepting a life of poor-quality replacements. Fortunately, today the clean beauty scene looks a lot different than a few random tiny makeup collections that could only be found at Whole Foods Market, per Glossy.
While clean beauty becoming so easily accessible is definitely cause for celebration, it has also steered towards the overwhelming route. Trying to decipher which clean beauty brands deliver quality products as opposed to those that rely on their "cleanness" being their main selling point can feel like finding a needle in an ever-growing haystack. The clean beauty industry has expanded so much that huge companies like Sephora have dedicated entire sections of their websites and stores to clean beauty brands.
People's growing demand and desire to transition toward an entirely clean beauty routine coupled with clean beauty becoming more and more trendy, new brands seem to pop up on a daily basis. Don't let the expansive selection overwhelm and discourage you — some existing clean beauty brands are the best on the market, and we've gathered a selection of five you need to check out for National Clean Beauty Day. They are guaranteed to introduce you to some new holy grail products.
1. Milk Makeup
What better brand to kick this list off with than the one with the most iconic and widest range? Milk Makeup emerged as a simple clean makeup brand that is proudly "100% vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free," per Milk Makeup. Now, their beauty range has expanded into a wide selection of makeup products as well as skincare. Regardless of its clean beauty status, Milk Makeup has earned its reputation as a fan-favorite beauty brand due to its iconic formulas that have made their way into everyone's holy grail product lists.
Milk Makeup products are loved for many reasons. First of all, they offer easy-to-use, lightweight products that still pack a punch when it comes to pigment, per Marie Claire. They upped the ante even further when they decided to delve into skincare; their Cooling Water Sticks and CBD-infused skincare range quickly became fan favorites, per Byrdie.
In the spirit of National Clean Beauty Day, it's only right to shine a spotlight on one of Milk Makeup's most-loved vegan products: the Vegan Milk Cleanser. Fans rave about the gentle milky cleanser that is formulated with Milk Makeup's special blend of "Desert Milk," which contains soothing jojoba and aloe vera. One user shared, "Love this product! One of the best facial cleansers I've tried and I will definitely be buying again. My skin dries out easily, this is a great product for my skin."
2. Versed
When it comes to entering a more niche beauty market like clean beauty, many assume this means you're going to need to invest a little more. The clean beauty market was once so small that brands were able to charge hefty price points. However, as the industry expands it has been especially exciting to see more and more affordable brands join the market to give everyone a chance to go clean. Affordable or not, Versed is a fan favorite clean skincare brand — the amazing price point is just an added bonus.
Founded in 2019 by Katherine Power, Versed entered the market as a brand focused on providing simple and clean products at a drugstore price point, per Byrdie. Melanie Bender, the president of Versed, explained, "We felt passionate that good skin, clean ingredients, and sustainable practices are for everyone, and that became the mission."
Versed offers everything you could need to build a completely clean skincare routine without breaking the bank. The brand went viral once skincare addicts discovered how impressive the quality of these affordable products was. Versed's standout product is the cult favorite The Shortcut Overnight Facial Peel, which fans claim is an overnight exfoliating acid mask that competes with its high-end counterparts. Who What Wear's review confirmed, " I did notice my skin seemed smoother and more moisturized in the mornings after using it, and any inflammation was generally toned down."
3. Ella + Mila
Okay, now you've got a solid makeup and skincare brand, but there's so much more to a beauty routine that you still need to clean up. Nails are definitely a beauty avenue that people rarely go clean for. Cracking the code to the perfect nail polish formula can be tricky, and it's typically not an area people are willing to make any sacrifices. Well, don't worry, Ella + Mila are here to ease the transition as a nail care brand that places quality above all else — oh, and who could resist that adorable elephant logo?
Ella+Mila has tapped into producing amazing quality nail polishes and nail treatments all while remaining 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and 17-free, per Ella+Mila. The best part is that the brand continues to drop new trendy nail polish shades every couple of months; this amounts to a huge selection that has everything you could need. The brand has been so successful that they've even begun to delve into the makeup arena by releasing liquid lipsticks and eyeshadows as well.
While there's no shortage of nail polishes to choose from, one of Ella+Mila's most popular products is actually their reparative First Aid Kiss nail strengthener. One reviewer raved, "This nail strengthener actually works!! Totally surprising and amazing! It is the only thing that helps grow nails stronger and faster."
4. Tower 28 Beauty
Clean beauty brands manage to continue to compete with (and even surpass) existing beauty brands thanks to companies like Tower 28 Beauty and its founders like Amy Liu. After working under fan-favorite beauty brands like Kate Somerville and Smashbox, Liu took the plunge and used her knowledge and expertise to create a brand that aimed to make makeup fun for those struggling with sensitive skin and especially eczema, per Glamour. Tower 28 Beauty's mission is to provide fun and impressive beauty products that are affordable and safe to use on sensitive skin. As Liu put it to Glamour, " I want Tower 28 to be a place where people like me know that it's okay to be sensitive."
Tower 28 Beauty did just that and then some. Going viral on TikTok is today's stamp of approval for many beauty brands, and Tower 28 Beauty's ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly instantly became everyone's go-to wet lip secret, per The Zoe Report. The viral gloss is formulated with a blend of 5 nourishing oil that transforms it into a balm/gloss hybrid that's super comfortable and extra juicy on the lips.
Aside from the product it owes its fame to, Tower 28 Beauty also has a selection of gentle and hydrating base products from a tinted sunscreen to their fan-favorite cream tint formulas.
5. Rose Inc.
Clean beauty brands have tapped into just about every beauty corner, why not also excel at the celebrity beauty brand game? And who better to lead the crusade than the absolutely stunning Rosie Huntington-Whiteley? As with any celebrity beauty brand, Rose Inc. was met with skepticism that it would be written off as yet another failed attempt, but Huntington-Whitely proved everyone wrong. "I didn't want it to be about me and my name," Huntington-Whiteley explained to The Zoe Report. "I wanted it to be a product-driven brand built on community. It's so much more meaningful to me — it's a significant representation of my entire career in a way that's beyond my face."
Huntington-Whiteley partnered up with the biotech company Amyris when developing Rose Inc. to produce a range of products that provide "indulgent color and skincare that outperforms in every category," per Rose Inc. As a supermodel herself, Huntington-Whiteley has spent decades in a makeup chair, gathering and absorbing pertinent information from iconic celebrity makeup artists. Her time on the other side clearly prepared her well, as Rose Inc has proven to be a huge hit in both the clean beauty and celebrity beauty arena.
The minimalist range of products comes in sleek cream packaging and offers everything from makeup and skincare products to beauty tools. Rose Inc. is vegan, cruelty-free, and non-comedogenic. The products are all formulated with plant-based ingredients such as hydrating squalane and vitamin E sourced from non-GMO sunflower seeds, per Popsugar. It doesn't get cleaner than that, and quality isn't compromised either.